PCI hot-swap cassettes (or cartridges) are becoming widely used as a hot-swapping technology for PCI cards. With this technology, a PCI card is placed in a PCI hot-swap cassette and the PCI hot-swap cassette is mounted in a computer or an information processing apparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 22(a), due to the configuration of the PCI hot-swap cassette, a front plate of the PCI card is recessed from the surface of the computer.
The recess is generally very narrow as illustrated in FIG. 22(b) and it is difficult to unplug a LAN cable connected to the PCI card with fingers. Therefore, to unplug the LAN cable for maintenance, it is necessary to press down a release clip (or lever) for unlocking a LAN connector of the LAN cable with a tool such as a flat-head screwdriver.
FIG. 23 illustrates a related-art LAN cable connected to a PCI card. As is apparent from FIG. 23, the release clip is short and it is difficult to unlock the LAN connector only with fingers.
Here, a related-art document discloses an actuator that makes it easier to put a plug in and out of a socket. Another related-art document discloses a modular plug having a lever for unlocking the modular plug to pull out the modular plug from a connector. The disclosed technology makes it easier to pull out the modular plug from the connector and also makes it possible to reduce the size and thickness of the connector.
Another related-art document discloses a connector with an attaching/detaching mechanism that makes it possible to reduce the size of the connector and to improve the reliability and operability of the connector. Still another related-art document discloses a plug connecting part including a sliding sleeve that is operated to move a locking part to an unlock position to unlock the plug connecting part.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-134858
[Patent document 2] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-10210
[Patent document 3] Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-235545
[Patent document 4] Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-526262
However, using a tool such as a flat-head screwdriver to unlock a LAN connector is bothersome and if the user drops such a tool, it may damage an apparatus. Also, if a LAN cable is connected to the back side of a computer and the back side of the computer faces a wall of a machine room, it may be necessary to physically move the computer away from the wall.
Further, when multiple PCI cards are placed in a PCI hot-swap cassette and multiple cables are plugged into the PCI cards, it is difficult to unplug a particular one of the cables with fingers.